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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE 



Loan Exhibition 



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PRESENTED TO 



THE GASPEE CHAPTER 



DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 



NIAY, 18G2 



PIIOVIDENOE, R. I. 

E. L. FltEEMAN & SON, PRINTERS TO THE STATE 

1 892 




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Providence, R. I., May 11th, 1892. 

To Hie E-rerufire ( ^oiinii/ffee of the Gaspee Chapter of Hie Da uyli- 
fevhi of file AiiKricait Rerohdion: 

Ladies: As C-lifiinnan of" yawv Coininittee for the Exhibition 
recently held in Pi'ovidence of colonial and revolntionary relics it 
has become my dnty to submit the following": report : 

At a meeting of the Daugliters of the American Revolution held 
on the eleventh of January, IS'.ii', at the house of Mrs. William R. 
Talbot, Honorary Regent, for the purpose of organizing a chapter 
of that society in this city, immediately after the organization of 
said chapter ((tailed the (4asiiee chapter) a Committee was appoint- 
ed, consisting of Mrs. P]li Whitney Blake and Mrs. A. Livingston 
]Mason, to oi-ganize an<l carry on an exhibition of colonial and rev- 
olutionary relics at Providence, at such time and place as should 
later be decided ujion, under the auspices of the Gaspee Chapter. 
This committee was afterwards enlarged and consisted finallj^ of 
the two ladies first appointed together with Mrs. Joshua Wilbour, 
our State Regent, Mrs. William R. Talbot, Miss Julia L. Mauran, 
Mrs. Walter A. Peck and Miss Mary C. Talbot. As the work 
opened out before us and assumed rather unexpected proi^ortions, 
still moi-e workers wei-e found necessary to organize the exhibition, 
and the following ladies kindly consented to assist the ladies of 
the C'ommittee. To their zealous and cordial aid we feel ourselves 
extremely indebted. 

These ladies were in Providence : Miss J. M. Clarke, 31iss Eliz- 
abeth 13. Dexter, Miss Alice Hall Durfee, Miss Margaret L. Dwight, 

4 Gift 

'■« 2 6 1925 



]\Iiss Helen Talbot, ]Miss Anne 'P. Vernon, Miss Mary ('. Wheeler. 
Mrs. \Vin)our, as her work was principally outside of Providence, 
chose her assistants in Bristol. They worked with her there most 
successfully, but, much to our regret, were unal^le to attend the 
meetings of the Committee, which took place, of course, in Provi- 
dence. These Bristol ladies were Miss Emma Bullock, Miss Flor- 
ence DeWolf, Mrs. George French, Miss Katherine llerreshoff. Miss 
Clara May, Mrs. Frank Pratt, :\Iiss Maria Shcpard, ^irs. M. L. Wil- 
iams. The first regular meeting of the Loan Committee took place 
at the house of the Chairman on the loth of February, 18!)2, and 
the second on the !>th of March, after which the Committee met 
regularly every Wednesday at the same place, with but one excep- 
tion, until the exhibition opened on the IDth of April. Mrs. Blake 
presided at every meeting. Miss Julia L. Mauran, who had been 
elected Secretary of the Committee, was absent only once, when her 
place was filled by Mrs. Walter A. Peck, Assistant Secretary. Mrs. 
C. F. Mason, Treasurer pro tern, of the Gaspee Chapter D. A. R., 
kindly consented to act as Ti-easurer of tlu^ Loan Committee. 
Special mention should be made here of the names of Miss .Mary 
C. Talbot of the Committee, Miss Annie Stockbridge of the ('ommit- 
tee ex-ofCicio, Miss Floriiiice DeWolf, and Miss Annie C. Cushing. 

INIiss Cushing did not Join the coi-ps of assistants until after the 
opening of the exhil^itioii. but her enthusiasm and activity contri- 
buted to its success. 

Miss Tall)ot bt^sides hei- own share of gciicial work and respon- 
sibility took more than the part of an assistant in the Colonial Tea 
Room. 

Miss DeWolf was in like manner indefatigable in the State Re- 
gent's Room. 

]Miss Stockbridge from the beginning to tin; end of the exhibition, 
l)roved herself a member not only ex-officio but de facto, and her 
ready and systematic help was especially appreciated during the 
toilsome and responsible work of recollecting and returning the 
Relics. 



Tlie Committee would also record its grateful appreciation of 
the siLstainiiio- and refreshing as well as elegant hospitality of 
Governor Ladd and of Mrs. Isaac Plartshorn during the whole 
week of the Loan Exhibition. 

I now proceed to give some account of the organization and con- 
duct of our exhibition, classifying the facts rather with regard to 
their natural connection than to their chronological order. I sliall try 
to do this not too minutely and yet minutely enough to leave such 
a record of our undertaking as may prove interesting and possibly 
useful in the future. Already from three cities of other states, one 
out of New England, letters have been received asking for points 
regarding our exhibition. One of these requests is prompted by 
the curiosity to know why the exhibition here was a success, while 
the one in that town was a failure. Another re(iuest comes from 
a lady who is (ihairman of a Committee having in view the organ- 
ization of an exhibition similar to that of the Gaspee Chaptei^ by 
a society kindred in aim to that of the Daughters of the American 
Revolution. The consciousness of this interest on the part of out- 
siders, I think, will give us a fresh interest in the consideration of 
this to us almost too familiar subject. 

The exhibition having been decided upon, the next question was 
where it should be held. This question was speedily settled by 
the kindness and generosity of the Rhode Island Historical Society, 
prompted doubtless ))y their sympathy with the aims of our So- 
ciety ami their interest in the projected exhil)ition. Mrs. Talbot 
and your Chairman presented the subject with what eloquence 
they possessed, first to Mr. William D. Ely, who was no less en- 
thusiastic than themselves, and then to various other officers and 
members of the Society, meeting from each and all a most cordial, 
though of course informal, assent. Finally, in reply to your 
Chairman's written request, and after the proper formalities, 
President Rogers wrote a most kind and extremely welcome let- 
ter, informing the C^ommittee that by the unanimous vote of the 
Rhode Island Historical Society the Loan CVjmmittee was granted 



4 

the free use of the first floor and iiallery of the Historical Cabinet 
for the projected Loan Exliibition. The presentation of complimen- 
tary tickets to all the members of the Historical 8ociet\', which the 
Committee was intending' to make, was declined in anticipation, 
and not the sli.2:htest condition was attached to the loan of the 
rooms, exceptin<>: that implied in the statement that the Cabinet 
was at all times in charge of tlie librai-ian of the Society and his 
assistants. This self-denying" ordinance of the Historical Society, 
shutting itself out from its own rooms, especially during its anni- 
versarj' day, was received by your Committee with the most lively 
expressions of appreciation and .gratitude. That coidial and gen- 
erous spirit manifested by President llogers in his letter was no 
less evident in the nnvarying courtesy and helpfulness extended 
to the ladies of the Loan Conunittee by the Secretary and Librarian, 
Mr. Perry, and his assistants, during the whole period of the in- 
vasion of the Cabinet, — a soil of invasion it was of that scholastic 
ti'anquility. It may l)e mentioned hei-e that the ladies of the 
Committee did their utmost b.y covering all the book-shelves of 
the Cabinet from ceiling to (loor, and by taking every other prac- 
ticable precaution to prevent loss or danger accruing to tlieir 
benefactors through them. It is gratifying to add that J\[r. Perry 
has expressed in most cordial terms his recognition of the scrup- 
ulous care taken by the Committee and his complete satisfaction 
with the condition in which the i-ooms were left after the close of 
the exhi1)ition. 

The ])lace for the (exhibition, and that the best i)ossible place, 
having be(!n secured, another problem was tlie ligliting of tlie 
rooms. The picture gallery of the Cabinet is liglited by gas. and 
its otluer rooms are unprovided with fixtures, being used solely for 
work in the day-time. Gas light, laiiip and candle light were all 
discussed by the Loan Committee, but judged undesirable on 
many accounts, ('specially because they would over-heat the low- 
studded rooms in the east and west wings of line building. Elec- 
tricity was considei'ed desirable, but was deemed too ex[)ensive. 



Your Chaii-nian laid these facts before Mr. Mai-sden J. Perry, of the 
Narrag-ansett Electi-ic Lighting C'omiDany, and asked him to jnake 
an estimate of the expense for incandescent electric lights sufficient 
for the purposes of the Exhilntion. Mi-. Perry came himself to 
view the situation, and solved the problem by putting in all the 
necessary appliances and providing the most excellent and satis- 
factory incandescent lighting through the whole Exhibition, and 
for some days preceding and folh^wiug it, all without expense. If 
anyone asks the secret of the success of the Loan Exhibition, was 
it not in the generosity of its friends ? 

To acquaint tlie public with the nature of tlie proposed exhibi- 
tion, so as to ol)tain relics and sell tickets, was the next care of 
the Committee. With this aim in view, besides the usual adver- 
tisements, articles were publishe<l l)y IMi-s. Mason in the various 
newspapei'S of our State. An effort was made to interest the 
teachers and pupils of our public and private schools in the exhi- 
bition. A letter of Mrs. Mason, admirably adapted to this end, 
appeared in the Providence Neim, setting forth the educating 
element of the exhibition, and its many interesting and agreeable 
features. Several ladies of the Committee made other efforts in 
this direction, but, much to their disappointment, excepting in two 
instances, without success. A party of students from the State 
Normal School and another party from Miss Wheeler's school, 
conducted by their respective teachers of history, did attend the 
exhibition, and were evidently much amused as well as interested 
and instructed hy their visit. The public schools and many of the 
private schools were* in vacation during tlie ^^Mu)le of the exhibi- 
tion, which may account for theii- seeming want of interest in the 
matter.* 

All things considered, the first aim and duty and unceasing 

* Mr. George A. Littlefield, the Prineipiil of tlie State Normal School, writes : " Your 
admirable Historical Loan Exhibition M'as generally attended by our teachers and stu- 
dents, the teacher in history taking her pupils there in a body. We considered the 
enterprise a great aid to historical studies in Rhode Island." 



solicitude of a Loan Committee is to got, keep and return the 
objects loaned in safety. A prevalent idea that loans do not come 
back in safety to their owners is the princii^al obstacle that collec- 
tors for such exhibitions find in their way. Your Committee has 
to report a perfect success in this j)ai'ticular. It is true that with 
the exception of valuable objects o])tained by the Committee 
through JNIrs. A. Livingston ]\Iason, from New York, Washington 
and other places, almost all the loans for this exhibition were j^ro- 
cured in Rhode Island, which covers not a large territory. Due 
allowance being made for that favorable circumstance, there re- 
mains, perhaps, some credit to the Committee for their success in 
such an impoi-tant particular. It has, in fact, l)een very generally 
commented upon, and it is therefore worth wljile to state the 
means and the various ijrecautions taken to ensure it. 

A special committee was elected to i-eceive the loans. This 
consisted of Mrs. Wilbour in IJristol and Mrs. Mason and your 
Chairnuin in I'rovidence. Mrs. Wilbour undertook to see to the 
Uristol arrangements herself, and to liave all the relics collected 
by her l)rouglit from Bristol to the IlivStorical Cabinet in Provi- 
dence and taken Ijack to theii- owners at her own expense. Slie 
made lier own arrangements and tliey met witli com])lete success. 
She has written to your Chairnuin that all the loans entrusted to 
her were returned to their respective owners in perfect condition, 
and that everybody was happy. Tliis statement is made here be- 
cause, as Mrs. Wilbour was too far away to consult freely with the 
Providence members of the Committee, her arrangements were 
somewluit indei)endent of theirs, and much of tliis report would 
not apply to the IJiistol part of our organization. Mi's. IJlake and 
Mrs. Mason carried on the correspondence involved in the matter 
of collecting relics. A large correspondence it was for both, and 
Mrs. Mason's was much the heavier of the two. Tiie otlier ladies 
<»f the Committee and the whole corps of assistants interested 
themselves actively in obtaining exhibits. 

Tags, having the name of Mrs. Hlake oi- JNFrs. Mason and the 



address of the Historical Society printed upon them, were sent 
to each exhibitor witli the request that they should be used in 
forwarding- the articles to be loaned. The ladies above men- 
tioned were present, on stated days, at the Historical Rooms to 
receive the loans consigned to them. Printed forms of receipt had 
been prepared, having stubs, and in book form. As each loan 
came in, a receipt, numbered, and containing a description of the 
article or articles in (juestion, was handed, or sent by post, to the 
exhibitor, signed liy the lady to whom the loan had l)een delivered 
and countersigned l)y the Secr-etary or Assistant Secretary. The 
description and number were repeated on the stul). A number 
corresponding to that on tlie receipt and stub was fastened un- 
obtrusively to each article. \Mien the time came to sort the loans 
and return them, it was very easy to collect together all that bore 
the same number, and then verify the collection l)y reference to 
the stul) to see that no article Avas wanting. Besides the number 
on the receipt, another and different numl)er was placed on each 
article, evident to the i)ublic, and corresponding to the number on 
the catalogue. Many valua])le paintings were consigned to the 
Historical Rooms on the Thursday before the exhibition was to 
open. A policy of insurance was therefore taken out with the 
Washington Insurance Company fi-om that day for fifty thousand 
dollars, covering the objects in charge, and a correspondingly 
larger policy at a latei' day when the remainder of the loans had 
come in. The insurance covered the days spent in jjreparing and 
in breaking up the exhibition, as well as the actual days of its 
duration. The Committee also provided adequate fire and police 
protection day and night, as well as a special night watchman 
with his assistant. A special insurance for the pictures loaned 
by the State was effected by Governor Ladd at his own ex- 
pense. 

Next to be considered came catalogues, tickets and badges. 
In considering the catalogues it should be stated that while the 
Committee was a unit in regard to the exhibition and each mem- 



ber equally interested in the snccess of the whole affair, a division 
of labor was necessary and the rooms were given respectively into 
the charge of individual members of the Committee to arrange 
according to each one's taste and Judgment. Each of these ladies 
made out the catalogue of her own room, and the four catalogues 
thus made were bound in one cover. The Committee on Printing 
consisted of Mrs. Mason and Miss IMauran. Tlie cover of the cat- 
alogue was designed l)y Mrs. Mason, was much admired, and, what 
was still more important, invited jjurchasers. It was adorned bj" 
emblems and mottoes of our Society, State and Nation, the 
lihode Island Anchor, the Daugliters' Spinning Wheel, the red 
white and l)lue of the National flag. It bore the date of the open- 
ing of our exliibition, wliich corresponded to that of the 70th 
anniversary of tlie Kliode Island Historical Society, and the 117th 
of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. On the back of the 
cover was a sketch of the schooner (Taspee of ])re-i-evolutioiuiry 
fame, drawn by Mr. S. G. Studley. Tlie catalogues sold for 
twenty-five cents apiece. They were not free from some amusing 
mistakes, but these may perhaps be excused in consideration of 
their necessarily hurried prepai'ation and i)rinting. The tickets 
were kindly designed by Mr. Eli W. JJlake. They were in coujjon 
form, one part being handed in at the dooi- and the other part re- 
tained as a souvenir. The day tickets were printed in 1)1 ne ink 
and sold at twenty-five cents, the evening tickets printed in red 
ink, sold for fifty cents each. The portion kept by the holder con- 
tained a programme of refreshments and music, with a colonial 
flag of 177<(* in the corner, and on the back the star-spangled 
l)anner. 'I'lius those who could not or did not buy catalogues pos- 
sessed a little souvenir in the ticket itself. I^adges were worn 
during the exhibition by the ladies of the Committee and their 



* This flag was selected as i)re-eminently suitable for our purpose. The Union Jack in 
the corner represented the Colonial element of our exliibition, and tlie thirteen red and 
white stripes the Revolutionary element. Tliis flat? and its description may be found on 
pages 1">", VXi anil :iJO of Prcljli-'s History of tlic Flag of tlie ITnJtpd States of America. 



assistants, as well as by several geutlemeii wlio kindly lent theii' 
aid and who were in consequence constantly iiassing in and out of 
the building. Miss Talbot was the Committee on Badges. The 
badges were pretty, simi^le and inexpensive. They were of white 
watered silk ribbon, fringed for the ladies and unf ringed for the 
gentlemen, and with " D. A. R. Loan Exhibition, 1892," inscribed 
on them in blue. The Loan Exhibition opened on the 10th of 
April, 18!J2, with fifteen hundred tickets, which proved to be an 
inadequate number, and five hundred catalogues, which also 
proved too few for the demand. 

The visitor to the Exhibition was ushered immediately into the 
auditorium of the Historical Society. This room was in charge of 
Mrs. A. Livingston Mason, assisted l)y Miss J. M. Clarke, Miss 
Elizabeth B. Dexter, Mrs. Walter A. Peck, Miss Margaret A. 
Dwight, Miss Alice Hall Durfee, Miss Julia Lippitt Mauran, Miss 
Edith Livingston Mason. This room fairly blazed with patriot- 
ism, ceiling, walls and gallery all voluminously draped with the 
star-spangled Ijanner. The exhibit was as rich as the decoration 
was appropriate and effective. The tickets were sold outside of 
this door and the catalogues just inside of it. On the same^ 
counter with the catalogues there were also sets and articles of 
china, decorated with the D. A. R. emblems, which Mrs. Mason 
had had made to order to be sold for the benefit of the Gaspee 
Chapter. The relics of this room were so many and various and 
so comprehensive that one might have passed weeks in examining 
them. 

Tlie central ol)jects of attraction were, of course, the relics of 
Revolutionary Heroes, beginning with those of General Washing- 
ton. One of the most interesting of these exhibits was the original 
eagle of the Ordei- of the Cincinnati, which Washington procured 
in Paris through Lafayette and which he wore at tlie meeting of 
the Cincinnati in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, in 1784. 
Another was his letter resigning his membership of the Rhode 
Island State Societv of Cincinnati, tra<'ed from the original sent to 



10 

Colonel Jeremiali Olney, by Mrs. Saiali II. Cushini!:. It may l)e 
l)enni1te(l to coiiiinent here upon what was coinmented upon at 
the Hxliibition as one of its most interesting- features, and this 
was that the affection and reverence for AV'asliington seemed as 
fresh in the public mind as if he had died yesterday. Any article 
whatever connected, however vaisiuely, witli his name, was sought 
out and regarded with the most profound interest, no matter what 
other objects might be slighted. No one seemed too young or 
too old, too wise or too foolish, too grand oi- too humble, to join in 
this legitimate hero-worship — which does honor to Americans and 
ought to bear some fruit in noble citizenship. Only second to 
those of AVashington there were relics of sjiecial interest to Rhode 
Islanders as recalling the splendid services of many of her 
patriotic sons, cons[)icu()Usly those of the two brothers, General 
and Colonel (-rreenc, (General Christophei- Lippitt aiul (General 
Uarton. Uesidcs such articles and many manuscripts and books, 
precious from aii1i(|uity, beautiful old miniatures and exquisite 
porcelain and jeweh-y were to l)e seen. The youngest relic of all 
(it might be called a relic of the future) was a piece of her own 
handiwork, sent by Mrs. Harrison, the wife of the President of the 
United Stales, and herself the President General of the Daughters 
of the American Revolution. 

Tlie picture gallery, which, with the auditorium, forms as it 
were one room and covers the whole body of tlie building, was in 
charge of Mrs. William R. Talbot and Mrs. William Ames, 
assisted by Miss Mary C. Wheeler, Mrs. Albert G. Durfee, Miss 
Martha Sayles, Miss Ilairiett Talbot, Miss Mary N. Foster. The 
Historical Society had kindly permitted most of its own pictures 
to be taken down to make room for those which liad been loaned 
to the Exhibition. The loan collection was a lai'ge and valuable 
one and it was disi)layed to the best advantage by the aid of Miss 
Wheeler's discriminating judgment. 'I'here were many paintings 
of great historical as well as artistic interest. There were por- 
traits by Copley, by Stuart, by Harding, by Alexander, and some 



11 

exquisite miniatures by Malbone. Among them were paintings 
loaned by tlie State, by IJrown I^niversity, by the Rhode Island 
Historical Societ3^ The portraits of Charles II. and his Queen, 
Adam Winthrop and his wife, General and Mrs. Xathanael Greene, 
attracted especial attention ; and also those of Xathaniel Gardner 
and of his son, Robert S. Gardner. There were manj^ beautiful 
miniatures ; among them those of General Greene's daughter 
and of other members of his family jjossessed j^articular in- 
te!'est. The picture gallery contained also several show cases 
filled with miniatures, manuscripts and other interesting relics, 
among them a pink satin costume worn l)y a gentleman of New- 
port at the French court during the reign of Louis XVI. In one 
of these cases Avere contained the cliarter and books of the Gaspee 
Chapter of the 1). A. R., the charter framed in wood of the old 
Gaspee room in which was formed the plot to burn the British 
schooner of tliat name, and tlie l)ooks elegantly bound in blue 
and white vellum, the colors of the Society. 

In the west wing of the building opening out of the picture gal- 
lery was the State Regent's room, in charge of Mrs. Joshua Wil- 
bour and her assistants, Miss Florence DeWolf, Mrs. Frank Pratt, 
Mrs. George French, j\Iiss Emma lUillock, Miss Clara May, Miss 
Katherine Herreshoff, Mrs. M. L. Williams. This room was hung 
with yellow bunting and decorated with a frieze of blue China 
plates, each one perfect in itself and of some sfjecial historic inter- 
est. On entering the room a welcome sight was the lemonade table 
Avhere from morning to night the thirsty might be refreshed at the 
moderate price of five cents. On the other side of the door, beside 
the lemonade counter i^retty gold and silver souvenir spoons were 
displayed and sold for the l)enefit of t]ie Gaspee Chapter. The 
relics contained in this I'oom were very choice and valuable. Tliej" 
consisted of miniatures, manuscripts, pieces of ancient furniture, 
beautiful sjjecimens of silverware and glass, most of them inter- 
esting from their historical or ancestral associaticms. They had 
been collected principally in Bristol, a town which was one of the 



oeiilresof aristoci-atic; colonial HIV and wiiere the descendants of tlio 
colonial families still cherish with venei-ation tlie treasures of tlieir 
ancestors. 

The room in the east win^', correspondinu' to that of the State 
Regent's in the west was in cliarue of .Mrs. Eli Whitney lUake as- 
sisted by Mrs. William Maxwell Greene, Miss E. DeAVolf, Miss 
]\Iary C. THll)ot, Miss Adelaide Winthrop Vernon, Miss Francis 
Iloppin, Mi.ss Helen Talbot, IVIiss Anne Talbot Vernon, Miss^ IT. 
Francis Henshaw, ]\Iiss Elizabeth Kemlall, Miss Sophie Vernon. 
This room was called the (V)lonial Tea-room and the aim was to 
preserve the unities of time and place by strictly excluding all 
relics, however valuable, that did not contribute to the desired 
illusion. The room being low-studded with small windows and a 
somewhat old fashioned air, lent itself to the scheme. It set off 
admirably the antique furniture of mellow-hued mahogany, the 
brass and silvei- candle-sticks multiplied in many quaintly framed 
mirrors, the wliite ])ainted mantel with its veritable colonial clock, 
and, above all, the ladies in stiif bi-ocades or anti«iue muslins, who 
jjresided at the tea table at which the ancestress of some of them 
had poured out tea for Washington, hospitably handed the old 
fashioned cake, i)layed upon the well tuned si)inet, or gathered, 
chatting according to tlie fashion of all ages, around the admirably 
reproduced old colonial fire-place. Descending from airy illusions 
to pecuniary facts it should he staled that a cupof choice tea with 
genuine cream and cake ad libitum cost ten cents in the Colonial 
Tea-room ; generous yet not expensive to the Society, since almost 
all the cake was begged. Neither did the Committee here abate 
a jot of its scruples i-egarding the inviolability of the loans. E.x- 
cept in the one instance of a loving cup. which Washington had 
drunk front and which its exhibitoi- kindly olfered foi- this use, no 
loaned silvei" or poi-celain was used in the tea-i'oom. The spoons 
and crockery were hired an(l her own old fashioned silver tea ser- 
vice was sent over daily by a membei- of the Committee who lived 
convenientlv uear to the Ilistoi-ical building. A somewhat detailed 



13 

description has been i>iven of the t'olonial Tea-room, becanse, so 
far as is known to your Committee, it has never before been a 
feature of any loan exiiibition and it appeared to attract and in- 
terest the public. 

During the exhibition the dooi-s wei-e open from 10 a.m. to <) p.m., 
and fro]n 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. every day, excepting on the evening of 
Thursdaj^, when they were closed. The attendance was large dur- 
ing the first two days — even ci-owded in the evenings ; and it was 
satisfactory throughout. The falling off in attendance was prob- 
ably due to the fa(tt that the C'ommittee had advertised at first 
that the exhil)ition would last only two dnyn. The second set of 
advertisements announcing that it would be pi'olonged to the 
close of the week failed to counteract the impression conveyed 
to the public at the start. 

On the evening of Tuesday, April IDth, .Judge Rogers, the Presi- 
dent of the Rhode Island Historical Society, yielding to the presid- 
ing re([uest of the Executive Committee of the Gasi)ee Chapter, 
made a short and graceful address, lie alluded to the interesting 
anniversaries which the Historical Society and the Daughters of 
the American Revolution celebrated on that evening, and address- 
ed words of courteous welconu^ to the ladies of the Loan Commit- 
tee, and of cordial sym[)athy with the aijus of the Society under 
whose auspices their undei'taking was carried on. 

On Wednesday evening His Excellency the Clovernor of the 
State with his Staff visited the exhibition. Governor Ladd made 
a few happy remarks in introducing the Rev. E. (4. Porter, for- 
nierl}' of Lexington, Massacliiis(;tts. Mr. Porter, who had nuide 
the formal anniversary discourse at Ijoxington on the previous 
day, had come to Providence to make us an informal address at 
the invitation of the Executive Committee. His addi-ess was most 
appropriate and acceptable. Govei-nor Ladd also introduced Col. 
Asa Bird Gardner, Secretary-General of the Order of the Cincin- 
nati, who at the recjuest of your Chairman had kindlj^ consented 
to say a few impromx)tu words. 



14 

Later in tlic evoning', nil tlu'se geiillciueji, together with the 
ladies in charge of the various rooms, and others, took refresh- 
ments as guests in tlie Colonial Tea-Room. The Pi'ovidenee Sym- 
phon}^ Orchestra was entertained in a similar manner, as had been 
on the preceding evening the Quartette of the JJrown University 
Glee CMnl). The Committee was greatly indebted to th(> former of 
these musical organizations, conducted I)}' Mr. Robert IJonner, on 
two evenings, and to the latter, under the management of Mr. 
Herbert IF. Rice, on one evening, for delightful instrumental and 
vocal music. Mrs. J. Peace Vernon, of Xewport, and .Miss Mer- 
chant, of Warren, wer<^ ;Uso kind enough lo sing, a favoi- which 
was highly appreciated. 

On the last two evenings of the K.vhihition, lo quote the lan- 
guage of Xathanael Greene* describing an evening iu his quar- 
ters, when Oenei'al Washington danced for three hours with Mrs. 
Greene almost without stoi)i»ing, " we had quite a frisk." General 
Washington and General and Mrs. (Treene looked down upon this 
"frisk" from tluur ])icture franu's, for it took place in llie pictui'e 
gallery of the Plxhibition. Dames and damsels on the floor, in the 
antique costumes worn by the pictured ladies on the walls, went 
through the paces of the stately ndnuet and the spiightly contra- 
dance in such charming style as to prove that they still preserved 
in grace as well as in ])atriotism the spirit of 'TO. An<l so gaily 
the Loan ExliiWilion closed. .Vml while fi-iends and i)ul)lic 
clapped llieir hands and said it was a great success, th(; ladies 
who had organized and conducted it sat down to considei- how 
much of a success it had been. Li the lirst [)lac(! a <iuickening of 
historical, anti(|uarian and patriotic intei'est was one of its evident 
results. Anothei" was the creation or strenglhening of friendly 
sentimcnl toward the Society undei- whose ausi)ices the Kxhihi- 
tion had been lield. Moreover, pleasure of a healthful kind and 
adai)1ed to jx'opU^ of all sorts and all ages had becMi pi-oxided and 

* Irvine's Life of Wasliinytoii, Vol. IV., Fa^e ISb. 



15 

had been widely appreciated and enjoyed. And that is always 
IJiire gain to a ComTnunity, Besides the moral results of the 
Exhibition, the statement of the Treasui-er shows : Gross receipts, 
$103I).18 ; expenses, $787.00, leaving a balance of $24(5.93 where- 
with to rei^lenish the treasury of the Gaspee Chajiter. The 
Committee had not run into debt nor had it been obliged to 
fall back uf)on the generous providers of its guarantee fund. 
From the outset its aim had been moral rather than material 
advantage, and, all things considered, the Committee was satisfied 
with the result of its labors ; satisfied, but not self-satisfied. 

Probably there were many things about the Loan Exhibition 
that might have been better. It certainly would liave been better 
had tlie ladies in charge of the various rooms had more time to 
consult witli each other concerning the grouping and classification 
of the relics. The catalogue, and indeed tlie whole Pl\liibition, 
was got up so rapidly, and the loans j)oiired in so fast and so 
spasmodically, that it was found impossible to group and classify. 
Some confusion was due to the fact that, there being no show 
cases iu the Colonial Tea Room, objects catalogued in that room 
had to be placed in the picture gallery. IJut, apart from this, 
there was an evident want of classification. An effort was made 
to arrange in separate groups the relics of Washington, of Greene, 
and of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, but there 
was no time to lay the scheme before the Committee and to put it 
through. Some future Loan Committee may adopt it. Especially 
would it seem appropriate in Rhode Island that an Exhibition of 
Colonial and Revolutioiuiry Relics should present a special exhibit 
of the relics of General Nathanael Greene, whose birth-jjlace and 
home were in this State, and whose descendants and kindred are 
still among its citizens. Such a collection thus classified it would 
be Rhode Island's pride to exhibit, as it was her i)rivilege to give 
to the cause of American Independence that name which, in the 
opinion of the world and in the hearts of his countrymen, stands 
next to the name of Washington. 



16 

Nothing now is left to relate, to confess or to suggest. It (Mily 
remains for the Connnittee to retnrn its cordial thanks to all, 
named or unnamed, in lliis Rei)ort, whose wise counsels, friendly 
symi^athy, and active aid have facilitated and supplemented its 
lal)ors. 

For file Commiffee, 

Respectfully s\ibmitted, 

ELIZABETH VERNON ELAKE, 

Chuinnan. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



011 800 759 1 



